Statement of the TÜBA on the Gaza Blockade
TÜBA, follow with deep concern the blockade of Gaza, which has continued for more than two years in the form of an open-air prison before the eyes of the entire world, and the humanitarian catastrophe it has caused. In this unprecedented process, civilian structures such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship have been bombed and destroyed. The State of Israel is systematically and collectively annihilating civilians —including children and the elderly— by depriving them of access to basic necessities such as water, food, and medicine.
The United Nations has shared with the world Israel’s crimes of genocide committed in Gaza. In the face of these attacks on innocent civilians, Israel’s unlawful obstruction of civilian initiatives seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza is incompatible with international law, maritime law, and universal human values.
As TÜBA, we call for:
The immediate cessation of the catastrophe in Gaza caused by the State of Israel’s violation of the fundamental values of humanity, and the uninterrupted delivery of essential humanitarian aid,
The consequences of the blockade to be revealed by the United Nations and other international institutions through independent investigations in line with international standards,
Respect for the diplomatic legitimacy of the Sumud Flotilla and similar initiatives navigating in international waters to deliver humanitarian aid, and an immediate end to Israel’s disproportionate interventions against them,
All states to recognize that Israel’s aggressive stance poses a threat to the entire world and humanity, and therefore to form a common public opinion and exert pressure in every field,
The urgent termination of genocide and the return of Gaza to its rightful inhabitants before further humanitarian losses occur.
With the conviction that human life and dignity stand above all ideologies and politics, we declare to the public our commitment to continue defending the right to life and freedom of innocent people and to raise our voice against injustice rather than remain silent.
Council of the Turkish Academy of Sciences